Parliamentary questions
Robert Brown
1,531 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken, or plans to undertake in the near future, the consultation on the future use of the new third track between Glasgow and Paisley as the major part of the Paisley Corridor Improvement (PCI) works, as reported in The Herald on 15 March 2010 and, if not, for what re…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36013 on 13 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busin…
2 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding the Paisley Corridor Improvement (PCI) works.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Works on the PCI project continue on schedule and budget. Key delivery milestones which have been reached are:</b></p> <p >1. The commissioning and bringing in to use of two new platforms (platforms 12 and 13) at Glasgow Central Station in May 2010. The int…
12 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what part increased hydro-electric development plays in its energy strategy.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is determined to optimise Scotland''s untapped hydro-electric resource, which a recent study put at approximately 1.2 GW.</b></p> <p >Emphasis is being placed on supporting hydropower developments which can make a significant contribu…
12 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to support further hydro-electric developments in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government will continue to support sustainable hydro-electric development, large and small, in order to tackle climate change and contribute to economic growth.</b></p> <p >Emphasis is being placed on supporting developments which can make a si…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are in foster care organised by independent agencies, broken down by the local authority of origin of the child.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The number of children with foster carers purchased by local authorities is given in table number 3.3 of <i >Children Looked After Statistics 2008-09 </i>published by the Scottish Government on 24 February 2010, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Pa…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households foster for independent agencies, broken down by the local authority area of the household.
Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.</b></p>
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are in foster care organised by each local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The information requested is given in table number 3.3 of <i >Children Looked After Statistics 2008-09</i> published by the Scottish Government on 24 February 2010, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50379)…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households foster for each local authority.
Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.</b></p>
20 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its recent case against the Scottish Information Commissioner not reaching court, what the cost was of its action regarding the commissioner's right to see Scottish Government documents.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: The cost to the Scottish Government of legal advice in connection with this appeal against an information notice served by the Scottish Information Commissioner amounted to £37,195.24.</b></p> <p >Recipients of an information notice served on them by the Sco…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) work and (b) education opportunities are available to offenders in prison on remand, broken down by prison.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >(a) The work opportunities for remand prisoners are as follows:</p> <p >HMP Aberdeen: Charity clothing work party.</p> <p >HMP Addiewe…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have taken part in work programmes in prison in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >All convicted prisoners are required by law to work. Participation may be limited by incapacity or unavailability of work places. Detaile…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners serving sentences of (a) less than six months, (b) six months to two years and (c) over two years has taken part in prison education programmes in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Prison Service does not record the information requested in this way. However, based on the average monthly number of prison…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners serving sentences of (a) less than six months, (b) six months to two years and (c) over two years has taken part in prison work programmes in each of the last three years.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >All convicted prisoners are required by law to work. Participation may be limited by incapacity or unavailability of work places. Detaile…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work programmes are available to offenders serving custodial sentences, broken down by prison.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >A wide range of work opportunities are available across the prison estate, these vary through time as Governors are constantly looking fo…
12 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average monthly number of prisoners engaged with learning centres in prison in 2009-10.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The average monthly number of prisoners engaged with learning centres in prison in 2009-10 broken down by prison is as follows:</p> …
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider convening a working group to look at difficulties arising from the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are already mechanisms in place to allow stakeholders to raise any issues that they feel should be re-examined, for example the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership, the ACPOS Licensing Group, and the Retailers'' Working Group. Discussions w…
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the National Licensing Forum was disbanded.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The National Licensing Forum was disbanded by the previous administration.</p>
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce standardised licence application forms and issue guidance to applicants relating to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Standardised forms are already in place by virtue of secondary legislation. These include the forms for premises licence applications, personal licence applications, a standard template for operating plans and a specification for layout plans. I have already …
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the rateable value banding system for licence fees under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34977 on 21 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.…
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address the variation across Scotland in premises licence fees from £200 to £2,000 identified by the Regulatory Review Group in its review of the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No. Premises licence application fees and annual fees are set by licensing boards in line with the Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007. These fees are linked to the rateable value of the premises concerned. This approach was agreed by licensing board…
29 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking on the recommendations of the Regulatory Review Group regarding the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is using the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill to address a number of issues that arose during the transition period from the 1976 Act to the 2005 Act, and work is already ongoing in respect of variations and revised statutory guidan…
17 Jun 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the future of Stow College is adversely affected by the development of the new Glasgow Metropolitan College.
Answer · Keith Brown: The activity which colleges are funded to deliver is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council, not ministers. The key consideration in any funding decision is the interests of learners and the quality of the education they receive. The funding counc…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the new carers and young carers strategies will support the sustainability of carers organisations in light of the £7.6 billion contribution made by carers to the economy.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34322 on 23 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will recognise the contribution of unpaid carers and young carers during Carers Week and beyond.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34323 on the 21 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the new Scottish Drug Recovery Consortium will support carers, young carers and families who support people with alcohol and drugs misuse problems.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34449, on 23 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the new strategies for carers and young carers will provide timely and effective support for carers of people who are misusing alcohol and other substances.
Answer · Shona Robison: One of the main concerns of all carers, irrespective of their caring situation, is the provision of timely, effective and personalised support to help sustain them in their caring role. The draft Carers and Young Carers Strategy for Scotland, to be agreed wit…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the new Scottish Drug Recovery Consortium will work with carers centres and organisations to ensure that unpaid carers and young carers get the support that they need to have a life of their own and maintain their own health and wellbeing.
Answer · Shona Robison: The new Scottish Drugs Recovery Consortium (SDRC) includes a number of members who work with families and children affected by substance misuse. One of these members is the Princess Royal Trust East Ayrshire Carers Centre. The members working together, with t…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the disbandment of community health and care partnerships is likely to have on the provision of carer support in Glasgow.
Answer · Shona Robison: The view of both Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board and Glasgow City Council, stated publicly, is that the interests of patients and services, including carer support services, will continue to be paramount and protected during the transition out of Commu…
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of vandalism of ambulance service equipment have been recorded by the Scottish Ambulance Service in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type of incident and (b) NHS board area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
11 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of vandalism have been recorded at fire stations or of fire service equipment in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type of incident and (b) fire board area.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.</p>